Towpath Times 11/9/2015

Veterans honored at the 2015 Lockheed Martin Towpath Freedom 5K

More than 100 runners arrived at Lock 3 in downtown Akron on Saturday ready to run go. They attended as part of the 2015 Lockheed Martin Towpath Freedom 5K, a run along the Towpath Trail with a ceremony honoring our United States veterans.

The run began on Main Street in front of the Akron Civic Theater, circling back to the Towpath Trail. The run concluded in Lock 3. As part of a Subway Fresh Ohio Challenge Series race, runners were treated to Subway sandwiches and other snacks while awards were handed out.

Veterans running in the Towpath Freedom 5K were also presented with a special pin as a thank you for their service.

Thank you to all of our runners, volunteers, and our sponsors for making this year’s event a success!

Experience the Canalway and complete the Goodyear Towpath Trek

To celebrate the development along the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area, the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition and sponsor Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company present the educational and recreational program Towpath Trek!

Individuals and families are invited to hike or bicycle four sections of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail between October 1st and November 30th, 2015, and experience the natural, historical, and recreational resources along the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area. Once all four sections of the 2015 Towpath Trek have been completed, individuals are eligible to receive a commemorative 2015 Towpath Trek pin, courtesy of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

Simply fill out the form found on our website here, enclose a $3 entry fee for each hiker, and mail it to the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition (address on form) once all four sections of the 2015 Towpath Trek have been completed. For a complete list of hikes and more information, please visit our website.

On Friday, November 6, Akron Waterways Renewed! and the City of Akron hosted the groundbreaking event for the four-year, multi-million dollar combined sewer overflow project. Work will begin on the three-story tunnel boring machine, which will tunnel under downtown Akron. For more information on the project, visit Akron Waterways Renewed!

During construction, the Towpath Trail will remain open through the use of a detour along Hickory Street. Trail users will take the detour when traveling between the Memorial Parkway Trailhead and the Mustill Store. For more information about the detour, visitor the Ohio & Erie Canalway news page.

Registration for 2016 Century Ride Open

Riders gear up at the 2015 FirstMerit Towpath Century Ride. Photo courtesy of Meghan Meeker.

Registration for the 7th annual FirstMerit Towpath Century Ride is now open to the public! This year’s ride will take place on May 14–15, 2016. Spots are limited this year to 125 bicycle riders and with more than 70 spots already reserved, sign up today! To learn how to register, volunteer, or pledge to a rider, visit the Towpath Century Ride website.

The Century Ride offers participants a unique experience to see the entire length of the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area, while raising money to benefit the continued development of the Towpath Trail. Bicyclists travel 101-miles in either one or two days in a fully supported ride. The first Towpath Century Ride, held in 2009, supported only 17 riders who raised $22,000 for the Towpath Trail. Growing quickly over the past seven years, 117 riders participated in 2015, raising more than $143,000 for the cause.

Check out our 2016 event calendar!

Events like the Fishing Derby, Healthy Steps, Century Ride, and Freedom 5K promote healthy living along the Canalway while raising funds for the development of the Towpath Trail. Photos courtesy of Ken Robinson, Meghan Meeker, and the Ohio & Erie Canalway.

The air is getting colder and the frost is starting to form, signaling the end of the 2015 event season. But don’t worry! We’re already working hard to make next year’s events better than ever. Check out our website for the entire 2016 event schedule, and more information about each event as they grow closer.

Trailblazer Spotlight

For more than 100 years, the people at Burgess & Niplehave been passionate about advancing the built environment, while improving safety, sustainability, and quality of life. They provide a wide range of design services, including roads, buildings, dams, tunnels, bridges, sewers, and hydroelectric power plants. Their work does not rely on cookie cutter molds, but instead they respect the needs of each individual client and project. With projects varying from developing innovative learning spaces in small towns to upgrading bridges in Korea, Burgess & Niple takes pride in every relationship they develop.

Upon it’s opening in 1829, Canal Tavernwas originally a tavern and hotel for travelers along Ohio and Erie Canal. After 150 years, the Canal Tavern of Zoar still offers delicious food for Canal travelers, while also serving up some of their famous Zoar hospitality. Their menu includes many diverse options from steak, seafood and special German dishes to fine beers and wines. Diners can also enjoy the scenery along the Ohio and Erie Canal and Tuscarawas River while dining on the outdoor patio.

Headquartered in Akron,FirstEnergy is a diversified energy company dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. The FirstEnergy companies cover 194,000 miles of distribution lines and are dedicated to providing customers with safe, reliable and responsive service. Funded solely by its namesake, the FirstEnergy Foundation extends the corporate philosophy of providing community support, supporting non-profit, tax-exempt organizations within the FirstEnergy operating companies’ service areas.

First founded in 1820, MWH Global has nearly 8,000 professionals working on six continents providing innovative, sustainable solutions to some of the most challenging projects in communities around the world. Engaged in the engineering, construction, and management, MWH works with some of some of the largest and most technically advanced water, hydropower, mining and transportation projects throughout the world. Their dedicated work received them nearly 40 awards and recognitions in 2014 alone.

The professionals at Zimmer Biomethave been dedicated to restoring mobility, alleviating joint pain and improving the quality of life for people around the world for nearly a century. Zimmer offers a comprehensive range of orthopaedic products, with a personalized approach to join replacement. Zimmer’s dedication to the advancement of orthopaedic surgery has made a difference to the lives of people in more than 100 countries around the globe. Zimmer strives to renew the passion for life in those they touch.